


Sparks Plus Flames Equals Combustion

by Sarah1980261



Category: Backdraft (1991), Chicago Fire
Genre: Ambulance 61, Battalion 25, Engine 17, F/M, Firehouse 51 as Family (Chicago Fire), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Squad 3, Truck 81
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:07:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28438860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarah1980261/pseuds/Sarah1980261
Summary: Firehouse 17, one of the oldest houses in the city is being shut down due to restructuring. Many of the older crew are retiring all at once, along with one of the city's best fire investigators.Brian McCaffery steps into Don Rimgale's seat, Amelia Rimgale takes over McCaffery's old spot as Assistant Investigator.  Don is ready to retire, having many health problems from doing his job as long as he has. Amelia is ready to learn,  and is ready to help McCaffery investigate fires. Along the way she meets Lieutenant Kelly Severide. Sparks turn into flames. A relationship forms.
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

Don Rimgale had been the Chief Fire Investigator for forty years. It was time for him to retire, he knew it and felt it in his bones. His lungs were in poor shape from all the smoke he'd inhaled all those decades.

It was time to turn over the job to a younger man, his longtime student and assistant,Brian McCaffery. Brian in turn was going to need a replacement assistant, and Don had the perfect person in mind. His niece had proven to be adept at investigating as well as a stellar firefighter. Don had pulled some strings and ensured that she would be able to get into his office. Amelia his niece, was going to come into the office to see him and it was just about time for her to arrive. 

Amelia Rimgale was surprised when her uncle had called her, she hadn't been to visit him in a while. As she parked her car at the fire station she got out and looked up at the bright blue sky. Not a cloud in sight. It was going to be a good day! She shoved her keys in her jeans pocket and headed inside to find her uncle. 

Amelia rounded the corner and Don looked up as she walked in the door.

" Hey kid! Take a seat!" Don was often a serious kind of guy, but he had a soft spot for his favorite niece. 

" What's going on Uncle Don?"

"Kid, I have some news. I'm retiring."

Amelia's eyes went wide "Seriously?"

He nodded."Yeah, I'm tired. Been doing this job a long time."

"I know. I am shocked though, I swear I never thought you'd retire."

"Eh, it's time. McCaffery is going to take over. And he's going to need a sharp assistant. So I pulled some strings and if you want the position, it's yours."

"Wait. What?" She asked. 

"I want you to come in and take over McCaffery's spot so he can take mine. You're smart, you're clever, you've got the proper education, and you're great at noticing the small details and you understand the beast. The important details. You have the personality of an investigator. I want him to teach you more, as I did him. "

She sat back still feeling stunned. "Are you serious??? I mean you know I've wanted to be an investigator since the first time you ever took me on a call!"

He smirked, "I know. You asked about a million questions, but your enthusiasm wasn't lost on me. You've always been inquisitive. I think McCaffery can teach you a lot more. So,you want it?"

"YES!!! I really do! This is my dream job!!!"

"I'll let McCaffery know." He smirked.

"When are you leaving?"

"I can wait until you have put in and finished out your 2 weeks notice. It'll give me time to clean out the office for you both."

"You really are the BEST UNCLE EVER!" Amelia got up and went around the desk to hug him tight.

Don chuckled.

"You're the right fit for the job. All the powers that be agreed. I just brought it to their attention first."

"I seriously don't know how to thank you."

"Just do a good job."

"I will. I promise! I'm so excited!!! Can I take you out to lunch? Or something?"

In walked Brian McCaffery, Don's Assistant.

"Lunch??? Who says he gets a lunch break ?" Brian joked.

"You can come too if ya want!" Amelia said. "We can celebrate his retirement and our promotions!"

"I don't wanna intrude." Brian said. 

"Nonsense! She's right! We should go out and celebrate!" Don said. "But, I'm driving, I hate being a passenger. "

"Well?" Amelia asked Brian.

"All right. Let's go!" Brian grinned.

The three of them went out to Don's old, beat up Buick. He drove them over to one of the firemen hang outs for lunch. They all got burgers and fries and beers, toasting to one another on their individual accomplishments.


	2. 2

Flash forward six months. 

Don was sitting at the desk across from his doctor. 

"It's the Big C isn't it Doc?"

His doctor folded his hands on the dark cherrywood desk, looked him dead in the eye, "Yes. I'm sorry Don."

Don kept his eyes on his Doctor's eyes. "It's not exactly a surprise, given the job I've been doing most of my life."

"True. I still hate when my hunches are right."

"How bad?"

"Stage 4, both lungs, stage 3 on your throat." The doctor was cut and dry, that's why Don liked the guy. 

"I see." He sat there a moment. "How much time?"

" There's no specific answer…"

"Ballpark guess?"

"If you choose to go for treatment, maybe a year. "

"If I let it run its course?"

" 6 or 7 months. "

Don nodded. "So, I better get my affairs in order…"

" Not a bad idea. I'm sorry Don. Truly."

"Listen, I'm an old guy, and honestly, I always knew it would be the fire that took me in some way. It's just the life I've lived."

"You're taking this very well."

"Well? What choice do I have? I'm a realistic man."

"So what road do you want to take?"

"Let nature take its course, I don't want to do Chemo or any of that. I am at peace with the life I've lived. I don't want extraordinary measures, when it's my time, it's my time. I want to put in my records that I want a DNR."

"You're certain that this is what you want?"

"I'm positive."

**************************************

  
  


Amelia was finally settled in at her new desk. Brian had settled into Don's old desk. The change of scenery felt bizarre to Brian. Becoming a mentor to Amelia was also strange to get used to. She was clever, and quizzical and he appreciated her openness to learn. Her mind worked a lot like her uncle's, you could tell they were related. 

Brian was sitting at his desk checking his e-mail. There were a bunch of his former fire fighters retiring at the same time over at Engine 17. So he was in works of helping plan the retirement party, including Don's retirement in the mix. It was going to require a large venue. A place large enough to accommodate all the families of the fire fighters. He had also received word that due to restructuring and consolidation, and with as many retirees coming out of Engine 17 and Ladder Truck 46 that firehouse was going to be shut down and turned into a Fire Museum. The remaining staff was going to be spread out around the city. The party really was going to be a retirement party for the whole Firehouse as well as some of the men. An end of an era. Brian went to work on setting up the retirement party.

Amelia's desk phone rang. She jumped a little, it had been a quiet morning. 

"Fire Investigator Unit! How can I help you?" She answered. Grabbing a pad of paper and pen to take notes on while she listened. 

"Hi, this is Lieutenant Severide over at Firehouse 51. I need to file for an investigation of a call we just concluded. There was suspicious evidence and we need to get more conclusive answers for our reports."

"All right Lieutenant, let me get your I formation? I'll give it to my boss and we'll set up a time for us to come by."

"The scene is down on Lake Ave. That old shoe factory." He rattled off the address.

"Okay, your Chief's name?" She was logging all the info.

"Chief Boden." 

"He ran the scene? Or was there another company that led the call?"

"We were first on scene, Boden had the lead."

"All right, has CPD taped it off? And have the CSI's been called in?"

"The scene has been investigated by them. They were who pushed for a better investigation. So I took their advisement. Chief and I agree that we need a far better look at the scene, we believe there was foul play involved."

"Can I get the CSI's info if you have it?"

"Sure, one sec," he grabbed the report off his desk and provided the Criminal Investigator's contact info so that the Arson Investigators would be able to compare notes."Chief said I should ask for Rimgale. He said he's the best there is."

"Oh, he must not know…" she answered. 

"Know what?"

"Well, you're taking to a Rimgale,but I'm his niece. My Uncle retired. Brian McCaffery is in charge now down here, and I took McCaffery's place as Assistant Investigator."

"Oh...I see. I'll have to let Boden know. Thanks for that info." Kelly scratched his chin.

"No problem. But listen, McCaffery has been training a couple decades with my uncle, he's as good at the job. I promise."

Kelly grinned into the phone even though she couldn't see him. "Well, I guess he'll have to do! Is there any more info you need Rimgale?"

"No, this is all I need for now. I'll get this in to McCaffery ASAP. Should I call you at the Firehouse? Or would your Cell be better?" 

"I better give you my Cell, I am off rotation tonight, so I'll be going home."

"Okay Lieutenant, I'm ready. " She scratched down the number as he shared it with her."Inspector McCaffery or I will be in touch as soon as possible."

"Thank you. We appreciate it."

"No problem, it's what we do!" She sounded so cheerful. 

"All right, I'll wait to hear back from you."

"Good bye Lieutenant."

"Bye." Kelly hung up his phone and went to go find Boden.

Luckily the Chief was in the kitchen grabbing more coffee, his office or had just recently broken, so he had to drink the sludge from the kitchen pot.

Kelly walked in.

"Chief? Got a sec?"

"Yeah Kelly, come to my office. " Boden dumped pile of sugar in the coffee and stirred it a lot trying to get the sugar to dissolve. Then they both went to the office. Boden settled in at his desk, Kelly sat across from him. 

"What's on your mind?" Chief asked, holding his mug to his lips. 

"I filed for the investigation with the Inspector. I do have news though. Rimgale retired, McCaffery is in charge now. And apparently Rimgale's niece took over as Assistant."

"Oh! I hadn't heard! Thanks for filling me in!" He sat back and nodded,"I suppose it was about that time for him. He's been at it for a long as I can remember. His niece is there now? Boy, times are changing. They never would've let a woman do that job back in the day. Good to see things evolving." He approved of the idea of Rimgale's niece in the office.

"Yeah it is. Do you still want to go with them or another Inspector?"

"We'll go with them. If she has even half the brain Don has, she'll be just fine. McCaffery has been the Assistant for a long time. Learning under Don? He'll be just as good and thorough. We're you able to set anything up?"

"Rimgale said she'd get the info to McCaffery ASAP and one of them would be in touch."

"All right. We'll wait for their call. Let me know when you hear anything. Now go home and get some rest!" Chief ordered.

Kelly grinned, he could feel the bags under his eyes, it had been a long one. He'd been up for a good 36 hours.

"I will. Talk to ya later boss." Kelly got up and went to go grab his duffel bag so he could head home. 

  
  



	3. 3

Amelia knocked on Brian's door.

"Come in!" He hollered through the door. 

"Hey Boss, we have a request for an investigation."

Brian looked up from his email. "All right, what do we have?"

"House 51, a Lieutenant Severide is requesting. They had lead on the call. It's that old shoe factory on Lake Ave. CSI'S have been in, but they recommended a more thorough investigation, so Severide is filing. He said they believe there was foul play in the cause. "

"All right. Let me give 51 a call. Chief Boden right?"

"Yes. I'll be at my desk."

"Thanks Amelia."

"You're welcome. " She went back out to her desk to work on some reports and emails. 

Brian looked up the number for House 51 and dialed. The phone was picked up be their Secretary. 

"House 51? How may I help you?"

"Yes, Hi this is Inspector McCaffery from OFI, I'm looking to talk to Chief Boden please. "

"Hold one moment please. "

"Sure! Thank you!"

A minute later Boden was on the line. 

"This is Chief Boden."

"Good morning Chief, this is Inspector McCaffery over at OFI. I understand that you had a suspicious call over at the old shoe factory on Lake."

"Ah, Inspector, yes. When would be a good time to meet you at the scene? CSI'S have all ready been there. They felt that a deeper investigation is necessary. "

"I'm free this afternoon, we can be at the shoe factory around 2:30."

"I'll have to send Lieutenant Severide, I'll be in a budget meeting then. "

"That's fine, I'll make sure Severide gets a copy of everything." 

"I appreciate that. Severide said Rimgale retired?"

"Yeah, he felt it was time." McCaffrey said.

"Rimgale has been at it a long time." He has, I took over his position about 6 months ago. His niece Amelia has come in as my Assistant. We're still working on getting used to each other, but I don't 

want you to worry about the investigation in any way, I've worked under Don a long time and Amelia is still learning, but she has a good head on her shoulders. We will execute as thorough and

investigation as possible."

"I am confident in your capabilities. We really appreciate your assistance in helping figure out the cause of the factory fire."

"We'll get to the bottom of it." Brian said.

Just then a new call flashed on Chief Boden's screen." McCaffrey, I'm very sorry, I have another call coming in. I will make sure Severide meets you at the scene at 2:30. I look forward to hearing back 

from you."

" All right Chief Boden, we will be in touch as soon as we can."

"Thank you." Boden hung up, answering his next call. As soon as that call was finished he called Kelly.

Kelly had showered and was walking around his apartment in just his towel when his phone went off. He sighed deeply when he saw Chief's caller ID show up. Taking his phone off the kitchen

counter he swiped to answer.

" Yeah Chief?"

" Severide, I just heard back from OFI, Investigator McCaffrey called to set up a meeting at the fire scene. I need you to go, I have that budget meeting this afternoon."

"Okay, got it. I'll be there, at least I have time to get in a nap." Kelly joked.

Chief chuckled and responded," Thank you Kelly I owe you on this one." 

"No problem." Kelly yawned.

"Go get some sleep." Chief chuckled. He hung up and went back to the budget paperwork, knowing he could count on his Lieutenant to follow through.


End file.
